Commonwealth Environmental Water Portfolio Management Plan Murrumbidgee

2017–18

Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Front cover image credit: Baby turtles at Two Bridges Swamp. Photo by Joanne Ocock, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

Back cover image credit: Grey falcons at . Photo by Peter Morton.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Office respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners, their Elders past and present, their Nations of the Murray-Darling Basin, and their cultural, social, environmental, spiritual and economic connection to their lands and waters.

© Copyright Commonwealth of , 2017.

Commonwealth Environmental Water Portfolio Management Plan: 2017–18 is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, the logo of the agency responsible for publishing the report, content supplied by third parties, and any images depicting people. For licence conditions see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This report should be attributed as Commonwealth‘ Environmental Water Portfolio Management Plan: Murrumbidgee River 2017–18, Commonwealth of Australia, 2017’.

The Commonwealth of Australia has made all reasonable efforts to identify content supplied by third parties using the following format ‘© Copyright’ noting the third party.

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Energy.

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.

Commonwealth environmental water portfolio management planning

Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder is a statutory position established under the Water Act 2007 and is responsible for managing the Commonwealth’s environmental water holdings. This water must be managed to protect and restore the , wetlands and floodplains (and the native animals and plants they support) of the Murray-Darling Basin. Mr David Papps is the current Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. He is supported by staff of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office. The Office employs six local engagement officers who live and work in regional centres across the Murray-Darling Basin.

Commonwealth environmental water

Commonwealth environmental water holdings are water entitlements that have been acquired by the Australian Government through investments in water-saving infrastructure and purchases on the water market. The holdings are a mix of entitlement types held across 19 catchments. The rules governing the entitlements vary across states and across catchments. Commonwealth environmental water entitlements are subject to the same fees, allocations, carryover and other rules as equivalent entitlements held by other water users.

There are broadly three options for managing Commonwealth environmental water:

 delivering water to a river or wetland to meet an identified environmental demand  carrying water over for use in the next water year (referred to as ‘carryover’)  trading water, that is, selling water and using the proceeds to buy water in another catchment or in a future year, or investing in complementary ‘environmental activities’.

Purpose of the document

This document sets out the plans for managing the Commonwealth environmental water portfolio in the Murrumbidgee catchment for 2017–18. Efficient and effective management of Commonwealth environmental water requires the utilisation of all portfolio management options. By taking a multi-year approach to planning, portfolio management tools such as use, carryover and trade can be managed for maximising environmental outcomes.

The portfolio management plans support transparent, coordinated and adaptive management of Commonwealth environmental water, consistent with the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy and having regard to the Basin annual environmental watering priorities.

To learn more about the planning approach see Portfolio Management Planning: Approach to planning for the use, carryover and trade of Commonwealth environmental water, 2017–18 (available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/publications under ‘Planning approach’).

Delivery partners

Commonwealth environmental water is managed in conjunction with and delivered by a range of partners. This portfolio management plan has been developed in consultation with our delivery partners, including Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Primary Industries – Water, and Water NSW.

Your input

The management of Commonwealth environmental water relies on considerable advice and assistance from local organisations, state governments and others. Individuals and groups within the Murray-Darling Basin community are encouraged to submit suggestions for the management of Commonwealth environmental water. Please contact the Office via: [email protected].

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Table of contents

Commonwealth environmental water portfolio management planning 1 Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder 1 Commonwealth environmental water 1 Purpose of the document 1 Delivery partners 1 Your input 1 Table of contents 2 1. Environmental watering in the Murrumbidgee catchment 3 1.1. The Murrumbidgee catchment 3 1.2. Environmental objectives in the Murrumbidgee catchment 4 1.3. Environmental flow requirements 5 1.4. Monitoring and adaptive management 6 2. Portfolio management in 2017–18 8 2.1. Antecedent and current catchment conditions and the demand for environmental water in 2017–18 8 2.2. Water availability in 2017–18 9 2.3. Overall purpose of managing environmental water based on supply and demand 10 2.4. Water Delivery in 2017–18 11 2.5. Trading water in 2017–18 13 2.6. Carrying over water for use in 2018–19 13 2.7. Identifying Investment Opportunities 14 3. Next steps 27 3.1. From planning to decision making 27 3.2. Further information 27 Bibliography 28 Attachment A – Expected outcomes from the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy 30 Attachment B – Library of watering actions 33 Operational considerations in the Murrumbidgee catchment 33 Potential watering actions under different inflow scenarios 33 Potential watering actions – standard operating arrangements 37 Attachment C – Long-term water availability 43 Commonwealth environmental water holdings 43 Other sources of environmental water 43 Planned environmental water 43

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1. Environmental watering in the Murrumbidgee catchment

1.1. The Murrumbidgee catchment

The Murrumbidgee catchment covers 84 000 square kilometres of southern New South Wales. It is bordered by the Great Dividing Range to the east, the Lachlan Catchment to the north and the Murray Catchment to the south (Green et al 2011). The river originates in the alpine area of Kosciuszko National Park and flows through the Monaro High Plains and the low-lying plains of the western , joining the River Murray south of Balranald.

Supporting a complex range of natural ecosystems, the Murrumbidgee catchment contains many significant in-channel and wetland habitats including the mid-Murrumbidgee and Lowbidgee wetlands, which provide important habitat for a range of aquatic and terrestrial species including frogs, fish and waterbirds.

The primary users of water in the region are the two major irrigation districts in the catchment— Murrumbidgee and Irrigation Areas. Irrigation also occurs around Hay and Balranald in the west and in eastern parts of the catchment, including around .

Regulated water is provided by two major headwater storages, Burrinjuck Dam on the Murrumbidgee River and Blowering Dam on the River. Collectively these storages have a capacity of 2654 GL.

Most of the flow in the Murrumbidgee River comes from the upper portion of the catchment, and is delivered by the main tributary rivers: Cotter, Yass, Molonglo, Queanbeyan, Bredbo, Numeralla, Goodradigbee and Tumut (Kingsford & Thomas 2001). Several tributaries located immediately downstream of the dams contribute significant inflows, including Adelong, , Gilmore, Hillas, , Kyeamba, , Muttama, Billabong and Houlaghans Creeks, and (Sinclair Knight Merz 2011). The middle and lower portions of the catchment do not contribute significant inflows.

Figure 1: Map of the Murrumbidgee catchment (courtesy of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority).

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1.2. Environmental objectives in the Murrumbidgee catchment

The long-term environmental objectives for the Murray-Darling Basin are described in the Basin Plan’s environmental watering plan and the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy, which includes ‘quantified environmental expected outcomes’ at both Basin-scale and for each catchment. The expected outcomes relevant for the Murrumbidgee catchment are described in Attachment A.

Basin state governments are also developing long-term watering plans for each catchment. These plans will identify the priority environmental assets and ecosystem functions in the catchment, the objectives and targets for these assets and functions, and their watering requirements. Once developed, these plans will provide the key information on the long-term environmental water demands in the catchment. Prior to the development of long-term watering plans, the Office will continue to draw on existing documentation on environmental water demands developed by state governments, local natural resource management agencies and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

Based on these strategies and plans, and in response to best available knowledge drawing on the results of environmental watering monitoring program, the objectives for environmental watering in the Murrumbidgee catchment are summarised in Table 1 below. The objectives for water-dependent ecosystems will continue to be revised as part of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office’s commitment to adaptive management.

Table 1: Summary of objectives being targeted by environmental watering in the Murrumbidgee catchment

BASIN-WIDE OBJECTIVES FOR MURRUMBIDGEE ASSETS OUTCOMES (Outcomes in red link to the IN-CHANNEL ASSETS OFF-CHANNEL ASSETS Basin-wide Mid- Lowbidgee Environmental Murrumbidgee River Creek Junction Watering Murrumbidgee Floodplain channel system Wetlands Strategy) Wetlands Wetlands

Maintain, improve Avoid Avoid further Maintain and and in some cases further damage and Maintain and improve improve promote the damage to assist VEGETATION riparian and in-channel condition of recovery of wetland and to assist ecological vegetation condition wetland and floodplain ecological capacity to vegetation vegetation diversity capacity to recover and condition recover

Provide habitat, including foraging habitat, to support survival and maintain the condition of waterbirds

WATERBIRDS Provide opportunities for waterbird breeding and support naturally triggered colonial bird breeding events that are in danger of failing due to drying.

Provide flows, including restoring natural flow events that are affected by river regulation and/or Provide flows to support habitat and cues for increased movement, FISH extraction, to support recruitment and survival of native fish (particularly for floodplain habitat and food sources specialists). and promote increased movement, recruitment and survival of native fish.

Provide habitat to support increased microinvertebrate and invertebrate survival, diversity, INVERTEBRATES abundance and condition.

OTHER Provide habitat to support survival and maintain and improve the condition of frogs and turtles. VERTEBRATES

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BASIN-WIDE OBJECTIVES FOR MURRUMBIDGEE ASSETS OUTCOMES (Outcomes in red link to the IN-CHANNEL ASSETS OFF-CHANNEL ASSETS Basin-wide Mid- Lowbidgee Environmental Murrumbidgee River Yanco Creek Junction Watering Murrumbidgee Floodplain channel system Wetlands Strategy) Wetlands Wetlands

Support longitudinal connectivity along the Murrumbidgee River, including end of system CONNECTIVITY flows. Support lateral connectivity (within constraints) between the river  channel and wetlands and floodplains Support lateral connectivity (within constraints) to wetlands and floodplains

PROCESSES Support primary productivity, nutrient and carbon cycling, biotic dispersal and movement

Support water quality in off-channel assets in terms of Dissolved Oxygen WATER Provide refuge habitat (DO) and salinity QUALITY from adverse water Support transport of salt and nutrients off the floodplain into the river quality events (e.g. channel and downstream. hypoxic blackwater) RESILIENCE Provide drought refuge habitat

Information sourced from: Charles Sturt University (2014); CEWO (2015); MDBA (2012a, b, c, 2014); DPI (2014); Roberts and Marston (2011) and Sinclair Knight Merz (2011).

1.3. Environmental flow requirements

Not all environmental demands can and will be met through the use of held environmental water. Some demands are met by regulated water deliveries for consumptive purposes and inter-valley transfers, while others are met by large unregulated/natural flow events or are beyond what can be delivered within operational constraints.

Figure 2 shows the broad environmental demands that are in scope for Commonwealth environmental water. Importantly, these are broad, indicative demands and individual watering events may contribute to particular opportunities, such as using infrastructure to deliver water to individual wetlands that would otherwise not be possible due to constraints. Also, there may be opportunities for Basin State governments to remove or modify constraints, which will improve the efficiency and/or effectiveness of environmental watering. Further information on delivery constraints are described in Attachment B.

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Commonwealth environmental water contribution unlikely: Demands met by • Flows to higher mid- Murrumbidgee wetlands (except unregulated/ natural where delivery via infrastructure flows, or above is possible) delivery constraints • Large flows onto entire Lowbidgee floodplain

Focus for environmental water contribution subject to seasonal conditions: • Small to moderate

Flow rate Flow Murrumbidgee River flows Demands that • Small to moderate mid- environmental water Murrumbidgee flows may contribute to • Small to moderate Lowbidgee floodplain events • River-wetland-floodplain connectivity

Demands likely to be met by Demands that are met by planned environmental other sources: water and delivery for consumptive use • Base flows in Murrumbidgee River Time

Figure 2: Scope of demands that environmental water may contribute to in the Murrumbidgee catchment

Based on the above objectives sought and delivery constraints, specific watering requirements (flow magnitude, duration, timing and frequency) have been identified as being in scope for Commonwealth environmental water. These water requirements are described in Table 3. As with the objectives, the environmental water requirements will continue to be reviewed and revised in response to new knowledge.

1.4. Monitoring and adaptive management

Operational monitoring is undertaken for all Commonwealth environmental watering actions and involves collecting on-ground data with regard to environmental water delivery such as volumes delivered, impact on the river system’s hydrograph, area of inundation and river levels. It can also include observations of environmental outcomes.

Intervention monitoring is also being undertaken at sites in the mid-Murrumbidgee Wetlands, Lowbidgee Floodplain and Murrumbidgee River. It aims to understand the environmental response from Commonwealth environmental watering with respect to the targeted objectives.

Information on the monitoring activities is available at http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/catchment/murrumbidgee/monitoring. Monitoring information is also provided by state governments.

Key findings and recommendations from the first two years (2014–16) of Long-term monitoring in the Murrumbidgee catchment (Wassens et al 2015, 2016) include:

 The delivery of environmental flows to wetland assets can, in transit, have a positive influence on in- channel outcomes. Monitoring has detected the spawning of eight species of native fish in the Murrumbidgee River including golden perch, silver perch (EPBC Act critically endangered) and Murray cod (EPBC Act vulnerable), and capture of young of year Murray cod and golden perch.

 Commonwealth environmental water has improved habitat and breeding success for a range of waterbird species (little pied cormorants, little black cormorants, great cormorant, Australasian darters, Eastern great egrets (EPBC Act migratory), royal spoonbills, straw-necked and Australian white ibis (EPBC Act marine) and nankeen night herons) across the catchment. Flows that provide seasonal foraging habitat for migratory shorebirds (unvegetated muddy shorelines and open shallow lagoons and lakes) in spring (August-November) should be targeted.

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 Adult, tadpole and juvenile southern bell frogs (EPBC Act vulnerable) have been detected across the Lowbidgee and mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands. This includes the first record of southern bell frogs breeding in the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands in 40 years and the first recording in in many years. It is recommended environmental water continue to support critical habitat refuge.

 Repeat seasonal watering of degraded wetland sites may be required. Yarradda Lagoon, in the mid- Murrumbidgee zone, has experienced a steady increase in species diversity and percentage cover with repeated environmental watering. Future watering actions should occur in late winter-spring, which is the ideal time to support aquatic plant communities.

 Following colonial water bird breeding events in the Lowbidgee floodplain and neighbouring wetlands (i.e. Lower Lachlan and mid-Murray), Commonwealth environmental water should be prioritised for delivery to key foraging areas in the months and water year following breeding to promote survival of first year birds.

The outcomes from these monitoring activities are used to inform portfolio management planning and adaptive management decision-making as outlined in Section 2.

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2. Portfolio management in 2017–18

In planning for the management of Commonwealth environmental water, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office aims to maximise the outcomes achieved from the available water. This includes consideration of the urgency of demands (based on targeted objectives and watering requirements, watering history and asset condition) and the available supply under different resource scenarios. Plans for water delivery, trade and carryover are then made in a multi-year context, with an assessment also undertaken of need for water in future years.

This planning process is outlined in full in Table 3 below and summarised in the sections below.

2.1. Antecedent and current catchment conditions and the demand for environmental water in 2017–18

In 2016 the Murrumbidgee catchment experienced high winter rainfall resulting in widespread natural flooding along the Murrumbidgee system in winter, spring and summer.

The natural flooding resulted in widespread wetland/floodplain inundation with associated positive vegetation and waterbird response. Commonwealth environmental water (together with NSW environmental water) successfully provided flows to support largescale waterbird breeding events (including straw-necked ibis, Australian white ibis, eastern great egret, royal spoonbill, pelicans and numerous cormorant rookeries). Floodplain inundation also resulted in a hypoxic blackwater event, as overbank flows returned high carbon loads back to the river in the lower Murrumbidgee. Commonwealth, NSW and TLM environmental water provided refuge habitat for native fish and other aquatic fauna and reduced the severity and duration of the hypoxic blackwater event in the Lower Murrumbidgee River.

Environmental water demands for environmental assets in the Murrumbidgee catchment in 2017–18 are represented in Table 3 and summarised below:

Mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands: High demand. The mid-Murrumbidgee River Wetlands are key environmental asset within the Basin. The condition of the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands is generally poor due to a lack of inundation. Natural flooding in September-October 2016 inundated many wetland assets, some for the first time in over four years.

Environmental water is required this year to reconnect low level wetlands with the main channel to continue the recent improvements in wetland vegetation condition; provide habitat for waterbirds, fish, turtles and frogs; and allow for movement and dispersal of aquatic animals.

Monitoring of ecological response at Yarradda Lagoon demonstrates the capacity for these assets to recover following repeat years of seasonal inundation.

Despite widespread natural flooding in 2016–17 the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands and Lowbidgee floodplain water requirements are currently out of phase. In future, following successful inundation and improvements in condition of the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands, and constraints being management, it is anticipated environmental demand for these assets will be more closely aligned allowing a more whole of system watering strategy.

Yanco Creek system: Moderate demand. In-channel environmental water deliveries will contribute to recovery after the hypoxic blackwater event of 2016–17. Wetland vegetation is generally in good condition, with inundation required this year or next to maintain this condition.

Lowbidgee floodplain wetlands: Generally in moderate condition; environmental demand in 2017-18 at a system scale is driven by natural cues. Natural flooding inundated large areas of the Lowbidgee Floodplain in spring-summer 2016 with positive outcomes for vegetation, waterbirds, wetland fish, frogs and turtles. Environmental water use in recent years has improved the condition and resilience of water dependent vegetation in many wetlands across the Lowbidgee allowing them to respond to natural flood events.

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Under a drier inflow scenario, the will focus will be to maintain core refuge sites (a key recommendation from LTIM reporting (Wassens et al 2016). Under moderate and wetter conditions, the aim is to continue to maintain and build resilience to wetland sites in the Redbank (including Yanga National Park), Nimmie- Caira, Fiddlers-Uara and Western Lakes management areas.

Murrumbidgee River Channel, distributaries and anabranches: Moderate demand overall; the condition of the native fish population in the lower Murrumbidgee River is poor. A large scale hypoxic blackwater event in spring and summer 2016 resulted in some fish deaths in the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee system. Environmental water deliveries may focus on native fish condition and recruitment through improvements to fish passage and connectivity, aquatic habitat and riverine productivity.

Under very low or very high inflow scenarios Commonwealth environmental water may contribute to aquatic habitat refuge.

Junction Wetlands: High demand. Despite early environmental watering, followed by widespread natural flooding in 2016–17 the condition of the Junction Wetlands remains very poor due to a lack of repeated inundation. Any opportunity for inundation will help consolidate responses from watering in 2016-17.

Murray-Darling Basin-wide environmental watering strategy and 2017–18 annual priorities

In contributing to these demands, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office will also be aiming to contribute to the expected outcomes in the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy (see Attachment A) and the following 2017–18 Basin annual environmental watering priorities relevant to the Murrumbidgee River Region.

 Support Basin-scale population recovery of native fish by reinstating flows that promote key ecological processes across local, regional and system scales for the southern connected Basin.

 Support viable populations of threatened native fish and maximise opportunities for range expansion and the establishment of new populations.

 Improve the abundance and diversity of the Basin’s waterbird population.

 Enable recruitment of trees and support growth of understorey species within river red gum, black box and coolibah communities on floodplains that received overbank flooding during 2016 by inundating the floodplains again.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder will not inundate private land without prior approval from land holders while contributing to the Basin annual environmental watering priorities.

2.2. Water availability in 2017–18

Forecasts of Commonwealth water allocations

The volume of Commonwealth environmental water likely to be carried over in the Murrumbidgee catchment for use in 2017–18 is estimated to be 83.6 GL. Total carryover in the southern-connected Basin is estimated to be 264.2 GL.

Allocations against Commonwealth water entitlements in the Murrumbidgee catchment are determined by the NSW government and will vary depending on inflows. The following forecasts in Table 2 are based on the best available information including State forecasts and historical inflow scenarios.

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Table 2: Forecasts of Commonwealth water allocations (including carryover) in 2017-18 in the Murrumbidgee River Valley as at 31 May 2017 Entitlement type Forecasts of Commonwealth water allocations (including carryover) in 2017–18 (GL)2 Very dry Very wet 95 90 75 50 25 10 percentile percentile percentile percentile percentile percentile Murrumbidgee (general/high 146 192 263 302 303 303 security and conveyance) Murrumbidgee Nil Up to 5 Up to 10 10 – 20 Up to 21.9 ~ 21.9 (supplementary) 3 Lowbidgee Nil Up to 50 50 – 100 > 100 Up to 393 ~ 393 (supplementary) 3 Total – Southern- Connected 861 1273 1376 1614 1577 1526 Basin1,4 Notes: 1. The southern-connected Basin includes the Murrumbidgee, Murray, Lower Darling, Goulburn, Campaspe (excluding Coliban) and Loddon entitlements. 2. Forecasts for regulated catchments are given to the nearest whole gigalitre except where the entitlement held by the Commonwealth is below 1 GL. 3. Forecasts for Supplementary Access are indicative estimates only. 4. Total forecast water available in the southern-connected Basin assumes that in Victoria 100 per cent of water held in spillable accounts becomes available under a median or dry scenario and 50 per cent or less becomes available under wetter scenarios. These figures do not include supplementary, unregulated or ground water accruals in the southern-connected Basin.

Information on allocations to Commonwealth environmental water holdings can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/about/water-holdings and is updated monthly.

Water resource availability scenarios

Commonwealth environmental water is not managed in isolation. When considering the available resource to meet environmental demands, it is necessary to also factor in the resources managed by other entities and available to contribute to environmental objectives. Relevant resources include held environmental water managed by state government agencies, planned environmental water including account based and unregulated flows, conveyance water and consumptive water. Further detail on sources of environmental water in the Murrumbidgee catchment is provided in Attachment C.

By combining the forecasts of water held by the Commonwealth with streamflow forecasts, as well as taking into account operational considerations, water resource availability scenarios can be developed ranging from very low to very high. Based on available information, moderate to very high resource availability scenarios are in scope for 2017–18.

2.3. Overall purpose of managing environmental water based on supply and demand

Environmental water needs (demand) and water availability (supply) both influence the overall purpose of Commonwealth environmental water management. Under different combinations, the management purpose can range from ‘avoiding damage’ to the environment to ‘improving’ ecological health. This in turn informs the mix of portfolio management options that are suitable for maximising outcomes.

Figure 3 shows how current demands and forecasted supply are considered together.

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The overall ‘purpose’ for managing the Commonwealth’s water portfolio in the Murrumbidgee catchment for 2017–18 is to protect the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands and ensuring their ecological capacity for recovery, while maintaining the ecological health and resilience of other important sites in the catchment. Under wetter conditions, improve will be in scope.

Figure 3: Determining a broad purpose for portfolio management in the Murrumbidgee catchment for 2017–18. Note: dotted lines represent the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands while unbroken grey lines represent potential range in demand and resource availability for other assets in the catchment for the 2017-18 water year.

Further detail on how the overall purpose for portfolio management changes under different supply and demand scenarios is provided in Portfolio Management Planning: Approach to planning for the use, carryover and trade of Commonwealth environmental water, 2017–18 (available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/publications).

2.4. Water Delivery in 2017–18

Consistent with the demands and purpose described above, the Office is considering supplying environmental water to the following watering actions for 2017–18. In planning watering actions, the Office has prioritised actions that follow natural cues and inflow scenarios to mimic natural inundation of key environmental assets, if these occur. Where key environmental assets are in poor ecological condition, the Office has prioritised actions to these assets if the inflow scenario does not meet the demand – subject to resource availability and other constraints. Refer to Table 3 for supporting information regarding the basis for determining these watering intentions.

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A key priority for Commonwealth environmental water is a low level mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands reconnection event. The aim is to contribute to river flows and inundation of fringing wetlands to prevent further damage and loss of wetland vegetation communities, as well as maintain habitat and provide movement opportunities for waterbirds and native aquatic species (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates). The action is subject to water availability, dam release capacities and assessment of potential third party impacts (refer Action 1 in Attachment B for operational considerations and limitations). The watering action would also contribute to downstream demands, including Yanco Creek, the Lowbidgee Floodplain including the junction wetlands and potentially the lower Murray. Subject to NSW government consideration and support, Commonwealth environmental water used in the Murrumbidgee River may be credited as return flows for further environmental use downstream in the River Murray. Investigations into the feasibility of Murrumbidgee return flows are underway. In the absence of such arrangements, the contribution the Murrumbidgee can make to the outcomes downstream in the Murray is limited except under very wet scenarios (where Lake Victoria is at capacity and the flow at the South Australian border is unregulated). The Office is currently working with NSW agencies to trial return flow arrangements for the mid-Murrumbidgee reconnection event.

If the proposed reconnection action does not occur, Commonwealth environmental water may be pumped to individual high priority wetland assets in the mid-Murrumbidgee. See Action 2 in Attachment B for standard operational arrangements. It is important to note that it is not operationally feasible to pump to all wetland sites in the mid-Murrumbidgee as these are vast in number.

Commonwealth environmental water will also target environmental assets in the Murrumbidgee River, Yanco Creek and across the Lowbidgee Floodplain including the Junction wetlands to maintain the condition and diversity of wetland vegetation communities, and provide habitat and recruitment opportunities for waterbirds, native fish, turtles and frogs. Timing and scale of these actions will be based on environmental demand and natural cues. Target species include, but are not limited to the southern bell frog (EPBC Act vulnerable), Murray cod (EPBC Act vulnerable), Australasian bittern (EPBC Act critically endangered) and eastern great egret (EPBC Act migratory).

Appropriate follow-up watering to floodplain assets will help to further improve the condition and resilience of assets that have been stressed as a result lack of inundation. Building greater resilience in the system will help assets to maintain condition and function in dry years, and to respond well in wetter years. Providing environmental water in the next year will also help to support the successful recruitment of vegetation, waterbirds, fish and frogs following an increase in growth and reproduction in 2016-17, which will help to improve abundance and diversity in the coming years. Under low water inflow scenarios, Commonwealth environmental water use in the Lowbidgee will target critical refuge habitats (including Waugorah Lagoon, Telephone Creek, Avalon Dam, Nimmie and Talpee Creeks). Critical habitat watering will consider extending flows to connect to permanent refuge lakes to prevent stranding larvae and juvenile native fish on the floodplain. Larger scale wetland and floodplain inundation including river-floodplain connection will be targeted under moderate and wet scenarios and through potential Lowbidgee supplementary access. The scale of watering will be informed by natural cues, subject to water availability. Target sites will include wetland and floodplain assets in North Redbank system, South Redbank (including Yanga National Park), Nimmie-Caira (Eulimbah, Telephone and Suicide floodways and Nap Nap Swamp) and potentially Fiddlers Creek and Western Lakes. See Action 4 in Attachment B for standard operational arrangements. In addition Commonwealth environmental water will opportunistically target the Junction Wetlands where feasible (Action 9 in Attachment B).

Watering actions that contribute to maintaining waterbird habitat within the Murrumbidgee catchment, and potentially link to waterbird habitat in other parts of the Basin (e.g. across the Macquarie, Lachlan, and Mid-Murray catchments (see Waterbird breeding & movements (CSIRO, 2016)), may also be targeted under moderate - wetter scenarios.

River-floodplain connectivity in the lower Murrumbidgee may be supported by in-channel flows targeting native fish movement and recruitment and in-channel productivity.

Stakeholder Feedback

Stakeholder feedback from the lower Murrumbidgee has again recommended that the mid-Murrumbidgee connection watering action be a priority for 2017–18. However, stakeholder feedback from some mid- Murrumbidgee areas remain opposed to a mid-Murrumbidgee connection action. The Office will continue working with stakeholders to resolve concerns.

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2.5. Trading water in 2017–18

The Water Act 2007 provides for the trade of Commonwealth environmental water allocations and entitlements and specifies the conditions under which sales may occur. To improve environmental outcomes must be the primary reason for trade of Commonwealth Environmental water. The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has no plans to trade entitlements in 2017–18.

As part of the portfolio management process, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office regularly assesses environmental demand and supply throughout the year, considering factors such as environmental condition and demand, current and forecast climate conditions and water availability, carryover capacity and market conditions.

Where the need arises to adjust the availability of allocations in any valley in the southern-connected Basin for environmental use, the transfer of allocations from another southern connected catchment would be explored as the preferred and more efficient option to allocation purchase or sale. The transfer would be undertaken consistent with the rules identified in state water resource plans that apply to all water users. Possible third party impacts from portfolio transfers are considered when trade limits apply.

In 2017-18, possible administrative transfers between environmental water accounts to enable environmental water delivery include:

 large (>100 GL) within the Murrumbidgee, due to the large size of environmental watering activities;  small (~30 GL) within the Murrumbidgee;  small (~30 GL) into or out of the Murrumbidgee trade zone 13, if required and allowable given trade limits.

In the southern Basin, water allocation outlook statements are forecasting high allocations early in the season, and opportunities to sell allocation may arise in 2017-18. The issue of whether to sell will be considered once there is greater certainty regarding environmental use during the peak winter-spring demand period, most likely from October 2017 onwards. Should a decision be made to sell allocation, further information will be made available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/trade/current- trading-actions.

For more information on the rules and procedures governing the trade of Commonwealth environmental water, refer to the Commonwealth environmental water Trading Framework at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/publications/water-trading-framework-dec2014.

2.6. Carrying over water for use in 2018–19

The volume of water carried over for use in 2018–19 will depend upon resource availability and demand throughout the year. A minimum carryover target of 50 GL is being reserved to meet early season water requirements and as a risk management strategy should low inflows result in low allocations. As documented in Table 3 below, potential demands in 2018–19 include:  winter-spring watering of the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands  Lowbidgee Floodplain and Junction Wetlands watering actions  restoring ecologically significant flow components impacted by river regulation to support native fish.

This volume is also reserved as a contingency volume for use in 2018–19 should there be insufficient allocations available and there is a critical need for environmental water (e.g. hypoxic blackwater or waterbird breeding event).

Carryover volumes will be adjusted throughout the year as the season unfolds in response to both current and future demands and the water available to meet these demands. These decisions will be based upon best information available at the time.

Given the connected nature of southern Murray-Darling Basin catchments and the varying carryover, account and use limits, carryover is considered at a broader scale than just the Murrumbidgee catchment.

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More information on how the Commonwealth makes decisions on carryover is at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/portfolio-mgt/carryover

2.7. Identifying Investment Opportunities

Changes to the Water Act 2007 in 2016 have increased the flexibility for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) to use the proceeds of water allocation sales to invest in environmental activities. Under these amendments environmental activities must improve environmental outcomes and be undertaken for the purpose of protecting and restoring environmental assets in the Basin.

The CEWH will publically release a Discussion Paper seeking feedback on what type of activities stakeholders would like the CEWH to consider when developing a framework for future investment in environmental activities.

It should be noted that proceeds of past water sales must be managed based on the legislation in place at that time, and are not available to be used for these activities.

14

Table 3a: Environmental demands, priority for watering in 2017–18 and outlook for coming years in the Murrumbidgee catchment – VERY LOW to LOW WATER RESOURCE AVAILABILITY/VERY DRY-DRY INFLOW SCENARIO in 2017–18

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)1 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency Met in 2018- of demand in Purpose under Potential 2019-20 19 Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2018–19 if 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 very low to low Commonwealth Range of environmental demand for watering resource environmental water likely Required frequency water occurred as Flow/volume availability contribution? demand planned in Not met in (maximum dry interval) (drying) (drying) (wet) 2017–18 2018-19

MODERATE - HIGH Pumping to individual high Particularly for established HIGH to maintain established priority wetland assets targeting A high potential for aquatic habitat refuges 8 in every 10 years - aquatic habitat. Avoid Damage - wetland vegetation and water use HIGH annual (2 years) However overbank Protect maintenance of aquatic refuge Up to 15 GL connection is preferred habitat HIGH

HIGH. MODERATE Tombullen storage releases to The condition of the mid- A high potential for 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - Mid-Murrumbidgee augment flows over 12 GL/day Murrumbidgee wetlands is water use HIGH 2 (2 years) Protect Wetlands at generally poor due to a lack Up to 10 GL per event of inundation. HIGH

Up to 130 GL planned HIGH for winter 2017. Follow up watering may be Minimum of 15 GL/day @ HIGH. Follow-up watering in warranted due to very poor Darlington Point for 3–5 days plus The condition of the mid- 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - autumn 2018 subject condition of sites a gradual recession targeting Murrumbidgee wetlands is HIGH (2 years) Protect to available low-lying wetland vegetation generally poor due to a lack allocations and and aquatic habitat of inundation. HIGH unlikely under this inflow scenario.

Up to 30 GL, targeting up to 1400 LOW LOW-MODERATE ML/day @ Yanco Creek off-take Watering, following natural MODERATE, 3 in every 10 years Possible Yanco Creek System targeting low-lying wetland cues, required to maintain the Maintain subject to (3 years) supplementary use. vegetation and aquatic habitat good condition of wetland- natural cues and native fish floodplain vegetation MODERATE

HIGH Lowbidgee High Potential only for HIGH Core refuge and Up to 70 GL targeting critical critical/permanent Annual Annual watering required for Protect-Maintain HIGH permanent aquatic refuge habitat requirements habitats critical habitat requirements habitat sites up to 70 GL HIGH

1 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 1 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 2 Note: Differences in filling height (i.e. flows required to fill a wetland) vary among the lagoons that make up the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands, and so their condition and watering requirement vary accordingly.

15

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)3 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency Met in 2018- of demand in Purpose under Potential 2019-20 19 Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2018–19 if 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 very low to low Commonwealth Range of environmental demand for watering resource environmental water likely Required frequency water occurred as Flow/volume availability contribution? demand planned in Not met in (maximum dry interval) (drying) (drying) (wet) 2017–18 2018-19

LOW MODERATE Up to 60 GL targeting wetland River red gum forest Watering, following low inflow Potential for low level MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for and spike rush scenario natural cues, to Maintain wetland inundation subject to North Redbank native fish, frogs, turtles and wetlands maintain the good condition Up to 30 GL natural cues waterbirds 1-3 years (3 years) of wetland-floodplain HIGH vegetation

LOW MODERATE Up to 60 GL targeting wetland River red gum forest Watering, following low inflow Potential for low level MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for and spike rush scenario natural cues, to Maintain wetland inundation subject to Yanga National Park native fish, frogs, turtles and wetlands maintain the good condition Up to 30 GL natural cues waterbirds 1-3 years (3 years) of wetland-floodplain HIGH vegetation

Refuge habitat annual LOW MODERATE Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Lignum dominated Watering, following low inflow Potential for low level MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for wetlands scenario natural cues, to Maintain wetland inundation subject to Nimmie-Caira native fish, frogs, turtles and 1 to 5 years, with maintain the good condition Up to 20 GL natural cues waterbirds duration of up to 7 of wetland-floodplain HIGH months vegetation

LOW LOW Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Watering, following low inflow Black box and lignum MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for scenario natural cues, to wetlands every 3 to 7 Maintain Low Potential. subject to Fiddler-Uara native fish, frogs, turtles and maintain the good condition years natural cues waterbirds of wetland-floodplain MODERATE vegetation

LOW Wetland habitats and LOW Watering, following low inflow Up to 10 GL to maintain open open water MODERATE, Lowbidgee scenario natural cues, to water habitats and floodplain black box and lignum Maintain Low Potential subject to Western Lakes maintain the good condition vegetation wetlands every 3 to 7 natural cues of wetland-floodplain years MODERATE vegetation

3 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 3 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 16

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)4 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency Met in 2018- of demand in Purpose under Potential 2019-20 19 Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2018–19 if 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 very low to low Commonwealth Range of environmental demand for watering resource environmental water likely Required frequency water occurred as Flow/volume availability contribution? demand planned in Not met in (maximum dry interval) (drying) (drying) (wet) 2017–18 2018-19

Winter-spring in-channel flows (base flows and freshes) in the LOW LOW Murrumbidgee River targeting Watering, following natural MODERATE, Low Potential, subject critical flow components for 7 in every 10 years cues, required to continue Protect subject to to natural cues native fish spawning, movement recovery of native fish natural cues and recruitment and in-stream populations. MODERATE vegetation HIGH Native fish populations in the Moderate in-channel pulse MODERATE lower Murrumbidgee River are targeting native fish movement Option unlikely to be in poor condition. Water Not and recruitment, productivity 7 in every 10 years achievable under this MODERATE required for improved fish Applicable and in-stream vegetation (flows resource availability. passage and connectivity, >3500 ML/day at Balranald) HIGH Murrumbidgee River aquatic habitat and riverine channel, productivity distributaries and anabranches Distributary and anabranch LOW MODERATE Moderate potential freshes to restore flow Watering, following natural MODERATE, 7 in every 10 years to subject to natural components most impacted by cues, required to continue Protect subject to annual cues river regulation and support recovery of native fish natural cues up to 10 GL native fish populations. MODERATE

HIGH Contribute to managing water HIGH (Contingency) Provide refuge habitat for Contingency in quality issues within in-stream Contingency in aquatic animals, including Avoid Damage - response to poor HIGH and wetland environments response to poor water potential hypoxic conditions Protect water quality/aquatic (Contingency) across the Murrumbidgee quality as a result of blue-green algae habitat availability. Catchment HIGH (Contingency) blooms.

4 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 4 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 17

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)5 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency Met in 2018- of demand in Purpose under Potential 2019-20 19 Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2018–19 if 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 very low to low Commonwealth Range of environmental demand for watering resource environmental water likely Required frequency water occurred as Flow/volume availability contribution? demand planned in Not met in (maximum dry interval) (drying) (drying) (wet) 2017–18 2018-19

Flows greater than 5 GL/day @ HIGH d/s Balranald Weir and HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have >10 GL/day @ Murrumbidgee Option unlikely to be severely compromised the Not on the Murray 5 in every 10 years achievable under this HIGH recovery of degraded Applicable targeting wetland vegetation resource availability. wetland vegetation and the and habitat for native fish, frogs, HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles turtles and waterbirds

HIGH Flows greater than 7 GL/day @ HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have d/s Balranald Weir targeting Option unlikely to be severely compromised the Not Junction Wetlands wetland vegetation and habitat 5 in every 10 years achievable under this HIGH recovery of degraded Applicable for native fish, frogs, turtles and resource availability. wetland vegetation and the waterbirds HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles

HIGH Pumping to individual high HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have priority wetland assets targeting A high potential for 7–8 in every 10 years severely compromised the Avoid Damage - wetland vegetation and habitat water use HIGH (2 years) recovery of degraded Protect for native fish, frogs, turtles and Up to 10 GL HIGH Follow up watering wetland vegetation and the waterbirds warranted due to very poor recruitment of frog and turtles condition of sites Moderate proportion of Low to moderate allocations may proportion of be carried over Level of carryover will depend Carryover allocations expected to 2019-20, but on environmental demands potential to be carried into Key - events in previous years will depend on and resource availability. 2018-19 targeting a resource means demand was met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source minimum of 50 GL. availability means demand was partially met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source (may be used to indicate infrastructure assisted delivery) demands. means water not provided (or not required) Note that not all demands require water every year; drying phases are important for floodplains and temporary wetlands or streams Key - potential watering in 2017-18 Under very low to low resource availability scenarios, small to moderate means a high priority for Commonwealth environmental watering (full or partial contribution, and subject to seasonal and operational considerations) means a secondary priority for Commonwealth environmental watering, likely to be met via other means (other water holders, or natural flows) transfers into or out of the Murrumbidgee may be required for priority

environmental use across the southern connected basin. means a low priority for Commonwealth environmental watering

Key - urgency of environmental demands Trade potential There may be a need to adjust the availability of allocations through trade. means critical demand i.e. urgent need for water in that particular year to manage risk of irretrievable loss or damage The issue of whether to sell allocation will be considered once there is means high demand for water i.e. needed in that particular year greater certainty regarding environmental water use during the winter- means moderate demand for water i.e. water needed that particular year and/or next spring period, most likely from October 2017 onwards. means low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year means very low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year or the following year Note that demand is considered at a generalised scale; there may be specific requirements that are more or less urgent within the flow regime

5 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 5 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 18

Table 3b: Environmental demands, priority for watering in 2017–18 and outlook for coming years in the Murrumbidgee catchment –MODERATE WATER RESOURCE AVAILABILITY/MEDIAN INFLOW SCENARIO in 2017–18

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)6 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Environmental Potential demand in 2018– 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 Predominant urgency of Purpose under 2019-20 assets Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for medium resource Range of likely Required frequency environmental water occurred as water availability demand contribution? planned in 2017– Flow/volume (maximum dry Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 interval) 2018-19

MODERATE - HIGH A high potential for Pumping to individual high Particularly for established water use should the priority wetland assets targeting HIGH aquatic habitat refuges 8 in every 10 years - Avoid Damage - preferred wetland vegetation and However overbank HIGH annual (2 years) Protect reconnection not be maintenance of aquatic refuge connection is preferred possible habitat HIGH Up to 50 GL

HIGH. MODERATE Tombullen storage releases to The condition of the mid- A high potential for Mid- 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - augment flows over 12 GL/day Murrumbidgee wetlands is water use HIGH Murrumbidgee (2 years) Protect Wetlands7 at Darlington Point generally poor due to a lack Up to 10 GL per event of inundation. HIGH

HIGH Up to 130 GL planned Follow up watering may be Minimum of 15.5 GL/day @ HIGH. for winter 2017. warranted due to very poor Darlington Point for 3–5 days plus The condition of the mid- A high potential for 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - condition of sites a gradual recession targeting Murrumbidgee wetlands is follow-up watering in HIGH (2 years) Protect low-lying wetland vegetation generally poor due to a lack autumn 2018 subject to and aquatic habitat of inundation. available allocations. HIGH Up to 150 GL

Up to 30 GL, targeting up to 1400 LOW- MODERATE LOW-MODERATE A moderate potential ML/day @ Yanco Creek off-take Watering, in response to MODERATE, Yanco Creek 3 in every 10 years for up to 30 GL targeting low-lying wetland natural cues, required to Maintain subject to natural System (3 years) including potential vegetation and aquatic habitat maintain condition of wetland cues supplementary take and native fish vegetation MODERATE

Lowbidgee HIGH High Potential only for Core refuge and HIGH Up to 70 GL targeting critical critical/permanent permanent Annual Annual watering required for Protect-Maintain HIGH refuge habitat requirements habitats aquatic habitat critical habitat requirements up to 70 GL sites HIGH

6 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 6 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 7 Note: Differences in filling height (i.e. flows required to fill a wetland) vary among the lagoons that make up the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands, and so their condition and watering requirement vary accordingly.

19

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)8 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Environmental Potential demand in 2018– 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 Predominant urgency of Purpose under 2019-20 assets Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for medium resource Range of likely Required frequency environmental water occurred as water availability demand contribution? planned in 2017– Flow/volume (maximum dry Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 interval) 2018-19

MODERATE Watering, following natural MODERATE Up to 60 GL targeting wetland River red gum forest cues, to maintain the good A high potential for MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for and spike rush condition of wetland- water use following Maintain subject to natural North Redbank native fish, frogs, turtles and wetlands floodplain vegetation natural cues cues waterbirds 1-3 years (3 years) particularly to keep known Up to 60 GL HIGH rookery sites in 'event ready' condition MODERATE Watering, following natural MODERATE Up to 60 GL targeting wetland River red gum forest cues, to maintain the good A high potential for Lowbidgee MODERATE, vegetation and habitat for and spike rush condition of wetland- water use following Yanga National Maintain subject to natural native fish, frogs, turtles and wetlands floodplain vegetation natural cues Park cues waterbirds 1-3 years (3 years) particularly to keep known Up to 40 GL HIGH rookery sites in 'event ready' condition MODERATE Refuge habitat annual Watering, following natural MODERATE Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Lignum dominated cues, to maintain the good A high potential for MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for wetlands condition of wetland- water use following Maintain subject to natural Nimmie-Caira native fish, frogs, turtles and 1 to 5 years, with floodplain vegetation, natural cues cues waterbirds duration of up to 7 particularly to keep known Up to 20 GL HIGH months rookery sites in 'event ready' condition

LOW LOW Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Black box and lignum Watering, following natural Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for LOW, subject to wetlands every 3 to 7 cues, to maintain the good Maintain Low Potential Fiddler-Uara native fish, frogs, turtles and natural cues years condition of wetland- waterbirds floodplain vegetation MODERATE

LOW Watering, following natural LOW Wetland habitats and cues, to maintain the good Up to 10 GL to maintain open open water Lowbidgee condition of wetland- LOW, subject to water habitats and floodplain black box and lignum Maintain Low Potential Western Lakes floodplain vegetation natural cues vegetation wetlands every 3 to 7 years MODERATE

8 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 8 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 20

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)9 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Environmental Potential demand in 2018– 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 Predominant urgency of Purpose under 2019-20 assets Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for medium resource Range of likely Required frequency environmental water occurred as water availability demand contribution? planned in 2017– Flow/volume (maximum dry Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 interval) 2018-19

Winter-spring in-channel flows (base flows and freshes) in the MODERATE Low Potential, likely to LOW Murrumbidgee River targeting Watering, following natural be achieved by other MODERATE, critical flow components for 7 in every 10 years cues, required to continue Protect environmental subject to natural native fish spawning, movement recovery of native fish watering actions and cues and recruitment and in-stream populations. other sources of water MODERATE vegetation HIGH Native fish populations in the Moderate in-channel pulse A high potential for up MODERATE lower Murrumbidgee River are targeting native fish movement to 60 GL MODERATE, in poor condition. Water and recruitment, productivity 7 in every 10 years Protect targeting fish passage subject to natural required for improved fish and in-stream vegetation (flows and channel cues Murrumbidgee passage and connectivity, >3500 ML/day at Balranald) productivity HIGH River channel, aquatic habitat and riverine distributaries and productivity anabranches Distributary and anabranch MODERATE MODERATE freshes to restore flow Watering, following natural Moderate potential MODERATE, 7 in every 10 years to components most impacted by cues, required to continue Protect subject to natural cues subject to natural annual river regulation and support recovery of native fish up to 10 GL cues native fish populations. MODERATE

Contribute to managing water MODERATE Contingency in HIGH quality issues within in-stream Contingency in Flood events can return high response to poor water Avoid Damage - HIGH (Contingency) and wetland environments response to poor carbon loads back to the river quality unlikely to be Protect (Contingency) across the Murrumbidgee water quality and trigger hypoxic required under this HIGH Catchment blackwater events inflow scenario (Contingency)

9 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 9 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 21

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)10 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Environmental Potential demand in 2018– 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 Predominant urgency of Purpose under 2019-20 assets Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for medium resource Range of likely Required frequency environmental water occurred as water availability demand contribution? planned in 2017– Flow/volume (maximum dry Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 interval) 2018-19

Flows > 5 GL/day @ d/s Balranald HIGH A potential for Weir and >10 GL/day @ HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have watering potentially Murrumbidgee confluence on severely compromised the Avoid Damage - through no take of the Murray targeting wetland 5 in every 10 years HIGH recovery of degraded Protect Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for wetland vegetation and the supplementary native fish, frogs, turtles and HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles allocations waterbirds

HIGH A potential for Flows greater than 7 GL/day @ HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have watering potentially d/s Balranald Weir targeting Junction Wetlands severely compromised the Avoid Damage - through no take of wetland vegetation and habitat 5 in every 10 years HIGH recovery of degraded Protect Lowbidgee for native fish, frogs, turtles and wetland vegetation and the supplementary waterbirds HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles allocations

HIGH A high potential for Pumping to individual high HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have water use priority wetland assets targeting 7–8 in every 10 years severely compromised the Avoid Damage - wetland vegetation and habitat HIGH (2 years) recovery of degraded Protect for native fish, frogs, turtles and wetland vegetation and the Up to 10GL HIGH waterbirds recruitment of frog and turtles Moderate proportion of Low to moderate allocations may proportion of Key - events in previous years be carried over Level of carryover will depend Carryover allocations expected means demand was met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source to 2019-20, but on environmental demands and potential to be carried into 2018- means demand was partially met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source (may be used to indicate infrastructure assisted delivery) will depend on resource availability. means water not provided (or not required) 19 targeting a

resource minimum of 50 GL. Note that not all demands require water every year; drying phases are important for floodplains and temporary wetlands or streams availability Key - potential watering in 2017-18 demands. means a high priority for Commonwealth environmental watering (full or partial contribution, and subject to seasonal and operational considerations) means a secondary priority for Commonwealth environmental watering, likely to be met via other means (other water holders, or natural flows) means a low priority for Commonwealth environmental watering Key - urgency of environmental demands Under a moderate resource availability scenarios, small to moderate transfers means critical demand i.e. urgent need for water in that particular year to manage risk of irretrievable loss or damage into or out of the Murrumbidgee may be required for priority environmental use means high demand for water i.e. needed in that particular year across the southern connected basin.

means moderate demand for water i.e. water needed that particular year and/or next Trade potential There may be a need to adjust the availability of allocations through trade. means low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year The issue of whether to sell allocation will be considered once there is greater means very low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year or the following year certainty regarding environmental water use during the winter-spring period, Note that demand is considered at a generalised scale; there may be specific requirements that are more or less urgent within the flow regime most likely from October 2017 onwards.

10 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 10 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 22

Table 3c: Environmental demands, priority for watering in 2017–18 and outlook for coming years in the Murrumbidgee catchment – HIGH to VERY HIGH WATER RESOURCE AVAILABILITY/WET-VERY WET INFLOW SCENARIO in 2017–18

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)11 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Purpose under Potential demand in 2018– Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2019-20 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 high to very high Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for Range of likely resource environmental water occurred as Required frequency water demand Flow/volume availability contribution? planned in 2017– (maximum dry interval) Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 2018-19

MODERATE - HIGH Option unlikely to be Pumping to individual high Particularly for established required under this priority wetland assets targeting HIGH aquatic habitat refuges 8 in every 10 years - Not resource availability. wetland vegetation and However overbank HIGH annual (2 years) Applicable Demand likely to be maintenance of aquatic refuge connection is preferred achieved by natural habitat HIGH high flows

HIGH. MODERATE Tombullen storage releases to The condition of the mid- A high potential for 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - Mid-Murrumbidgee augment flows over 12 GL/day Murrumbidgee wetlands is water use HIGH 12 (2 years) Protect Wetlands at Darlington Point generally poor due to a lack Up to 10 GL per event of inundation. HIGH

HIGH Up to 130 GL planned Follow up watering may be Minimum of 15.5 GL/day @ HIGH. for winter 2017. warranted due to very poor Darlington Point for 3–5 days plus The condition of the mid- Follow-up watering in 7–8 in every 10 years Avoid Damage - condition of sites a gradual recession targeting Murrumbidgee wetlands is autumn 2018 unlikely HIGH (2 years) Protect low-lying wetland vegetation generally poor due to a lack to be required under and aquatic habitat of inundation. this resource HIGH availability.

Up to 40 GL, targeting up to 1400 HIGH LOW-MODERATE A moderate potential ML/day @ Yanco Creek off-take Watering, following natural MODERATE, 3 in every 10 years for up to 40 GL Yanco Creek System targeting low-lying wetland cues, to maintain-improve the Improve subject to (3 years) including potential vegetation and aquatic habitat good condition of wetland natural cues supplementary take and native fish vegetation MODERATE

Option unlikely to be HIGH Lowbidgee required under this HIGH Core refuge and Up to 70 GL targeting critical Not resource availability. Annual Annual watering required for HIGH permanent aquatic refuge habitat requirements Applicable Demand likely to be critical habitat requirements habitat sites achieved by natural HIGH high flows.

11 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 11 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 12 Note: Differences in filling height (i.e. flows required to fill a wetland) vary among the lagoons that make up the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands, and so their condition and watering requirement vary accordingly.

23

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)13 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Met in 2018-19 Purpose under Potential demand in 2018– Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2019-20 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 high to very high Commonwealth 19 if watering environmental demand for Range of likely resource environmental water occurred as Required frequency water demand Flow/volume availability contribution? planned in 2017– (maximum dry interval) Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 2018-19

HIGH Up to 60 GL targeting wetland A high potential for River red gum forest Watering, following natural MODERATE vegetation and habitat for water use and spike rush cues, to maintain-improve the MODERATE, Lowbidgee native fish, frogs, turtles and Up to 60 GL and wetlands good condition of wetland- Improve subject to North Redbank waterbirds, including supporting Lowbidgee 1-3 years (3 years) floodplain vegetation, natural cues significant waterbird breeding Supplementary including supporting HIGH events to completion access14 waterbird breeding events

HIGH Up to 60 GL targeting wetland A high potential for Watering, following natural MODERATE vegetation and habitat for River red gum forest water use cues, to maintain-improve the MODERATE, Lowbidgee native fish, frogs, turtles and and spike rush Up to 60 GL and good condition of wetland- Improve subject to Yanga National Park waterbirds, including supporting wetlands Lowbidgee floodplain vegetation, natural cues significant waterbird breeding 1-3 years (3 years) Supplementary including supporting HIGH events to completion access7 waterbird breeding events

HIGH Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Refuge habitat annual A high potential for Watering, following natural MODERATE vegetation and habitat for Lignum dominated water use cues, to maintain-improve the MODERATE, Lowbidgee native fish, frogs, turtles and wetlands Up to 20 GL and good condition of wetland- Improve subject to Nimmie-Caira waterbirds, including supporting 1 to 5 years, with Lowbidgee floodplain vegetation, natural cues significant waterbird breeding duration of up to 7 Supplementary including supporting HIGH events to completion months access7 waterbird breeding events

HIGH A high potential for LOW Up to 20 GL targeting wetland Black box and lignum Watering required to watering in 2017–18 MODERATE, Lowbidgee vegetation and habitat for wetlands every 3 to 7 maintain-improve the Improve including Lowbidgee subject to Fiddler-Uara native fish, frogs, turtles and years condition of wetland- Supplementary natural cues waterbirds floodplain vegetation. access7 MODERATE

Wetland habitats and HIGH A high potential for LOW Up to 10 GL to maintain open open water Watering required to watering in 2017–18 MODERATE, Lowbidgee water habitats and floodplain black box and lignum maintain-improve the Improve including Lowbidgee subject to Western Lakes vegetation wetlands every 3 to 7 condition of wetland Supplementary natural cues years vegetation. access7 MODERATE

13 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 13 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 14 Lowbidgee supplementary access will not occur where natural flooding is likely to achieve environmental outcomes.

The environmental water demands of the Junction Wetlands will also be considered in any potential Lowbidgee supplementary access.

24

Watering history 2017-18 Implications for future demands Indicative demand (for all sources of water in the system)15 (from all sources of water) Likely urgency of Purpose under Potential demand in 2018– Met in 2018-19 Environmental assets Predominant urgency of 2019-20 high to very high Commonwealth 19 if watering 2014–15 2015-16 2016-17 environmental demand for Range of likely resource environmental water occurred as Required frequency water demand Flow/volume availability contribution? planned in 2017– (maximum dry interval) Not met in (drying) (drying) (wet) 18 2018-19

Winter-spring in-channel flows Option unlikely to be (base flows and freshes) in the HIGH LOW required under this Murrumbidgee River targeting Watering, following natural Not resource availability. LOW, subject to critical flow components for 7 in every 10 years cues, required to continue Applicable Demand likely to be natural cues native fish spawning, movement recovery of native fish achieved by natural and recruitment and in-stream populations. MODERATE high flows. vegetation HIGH Native fish populations in the Option unlikely to be Moderate in-channel pulse MODERATE lower Murrumbidgee River required under this targeting native fish movement MODERATE, are in poor condition. Water Not resource availability. and recruitment, productivity 7 in every 10 years subject to required for improved fish Applicable Demand likely to be and in-stream vegetation (flows natural cues Murrumbidgee River passage and connectivity, achieved by natural >3500 ML/day at Balranald) HIGH channel, aquatic habitat and riverine high flows. distributaries and productivity anabranches Option unlikely to be Distributary and anabranch HIGH MODERATE required under this freshes to restore flow Watering, following natural MODERATE, 7 in every 10 years to Not resource availability. components most impacted by cues, required to continue subject to annual Applicable Demand likely to be river regulation and support recovery of native fish natural cues achieved by natural native fish populations. MODERATE high flows.

Contribute to managing water HIGH quality issues within in-stream Contingency in Flood events can return high Contingency in HIGH Avoid Damage - and wetland environments response to poor water carbon loads back to the response to poor HIGH Protect across the Murrumbidgee quality river and trigger hypoxic water quality HIGH Catchment blackwater events

Flows greater than 5 GL/day @ HIGH A high potential for d/s Balranald Weir and HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have watering potentially >10 GL/day @ Murrumbidgee severely compromised the Avoid Damage - through no take of confluence on the Murray 5 in every 10 years HIGH recovery of degraded Protect Lowbidgee targeting wetland vegetation wetland vegetation and the supplementary and habitat for native fish, frogs, HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles allocations turtles and waterbirds

HIGH A high potential for Flows greater than 7 GL/day @ HIGH Limited flows since 2012 have watering potentially d/s Balranald Weir targeting Junction Wetlands severely compromised the Avoid Damage - through no take of wetland vegetation and habitat 5 in every 10 years HIGH recovery of degraded Protect Lowbidgee for native fish, frogs, turtles and wetland vegetation and the supplementary waterbirds HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles allocations

HIGH Pumping to individual high Limited flows since 2012 have HIGH priority wetland assets targeting Option unlikely to be 7–8 in every 10 years severely compromised the Not wetland vegetation and habitat required under this HIGH (2 years) recovery of degraded Applicable for native fish, frogs, turtles and resource availability. wetland vegetation and the waterbirds HIGH recruitment of frog and turtles

15 Volumes may be limited by current channel constraints. 15 Roberts and Marston (2011), Hardwick and Maguire (2012), Alluvium (2013) 25

Moderate proportion of Low to moderate allocations may proportion of be carried over Level of carryover will depend Carryover allocations expected to 2019-20, but on environmental demands potential to be carried into Key - events in previous years will depend on and resource availability. 2018-19 targeting a resource means demand was met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source minimum of 50 GL. means demand was partially met by Commonwealth environmental water or any other source (may be used to indicate infrastructure assisted delivery) availability means water not provided (or not required) demands. Note that not all demands require water every year; drying phases are important for floodplains and temporary wetlands or streams Key - potential watering in 2017-18 means a high priority for Commonwealth environmental watering (full or partial contribution, and subject to seasonal and operational considerations) means a secondary priority for Commonwealth environmental watering, likely to be met via other means (other water holders, or natural flows) means a low priority for Commonwealth environmental watering Key - urgency of environmental demands Under high and very high resource availability scenario, there may be an means critical demand i.e. urgent need for water in that particular year to manage risk of irretrievable loss or damage opportunity to trade allocation (subject to an assessment that a reasonable means high demand for water i.e. needed in that particular year level of supply or demand exists within the water market). The issue of means moderate demand for water i.e. water needed that particular year and/or next Trade potential whether to sell allocation will be considered once there is greater certainty means low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year regarding environmental water use during the winter-spring period, most means very low demand for water i.e. water generally not needed that particular year or the following year likely from October 2017 onwards Note that demand is considered at a generalised scale; there may be specific requirements that are more or less urgent within the flow regime

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3. Next steps

3.1. From planning to decision making

It is important to distinguish between planning and operational decision making. As shown in Figure 4, planning allows the Office to manage the environmental water portfolio in a holistic manner and is an exercise in developing a broad approach or intention, based on the key drivers (demand and supply).

Decision making throughout each year builds on the intention by considering in more detail the specific prevailing factors and additional factors such as costs, risks, and constraints to water delivery and market conditions.

Figure 4: Planning and decision making for Commonwealth environmental water use

3.2. Further information

For further information on how the Office plans for water use, carryover and trade, please visit our web site: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo

or the sites below:

 Water use: www.environment.gov.au/topics/water/commonwealth-environmental-water- office/assessment-framework

 Carryover: http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/water/commonwealth-environmental-water- office/portfolio-management/carryover

 Trade: Discussion Paper – Trade of Commonwealth Environmental Water and Commonwealth Environmental Water Trading Framework: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/trade/trading-framework

27

Bibliography

Alluvium (2013). Yanco Creek system environmental flow study (final report), report prepared for State Water, Leeton NSW. Charles Sturt University (CSU) (2014). Murrumbidgee Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. Prepared for Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/publications/murrumbidgee-me-plan Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) (2015). Integrated planning for the use, carryover and trade of Commonwealth environmental water: Murrumbidgee River Valley 2015-16, Commonwealth of Australia 2015 http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/aab98d9b-c25a-427c-b03f- 5f05a7775aa8/files/integrated-planning-cew-murrumbidgee-2015-16.pdf Green D, Petrovic J, Moss P, Burrell M (2011). Water resources and management overview: Murrumbidgee catchment, NSW Office of Water, Sydney

Hardwick L and Maguire J (2012). Environmental water needs of the Lower Murrumbidgee (Lowbidgee) floodplain; Discussion Paper 1 – Approach and ecological considerations Kingsford R T and Thomas R F (2001). Changing water regimes and wetland habitat on the Lower Murrumbidgee floodplain of the Murrumbidgee River in arid Australia. Report to Environment Australia, April 2001. Murrumbidgee catchment Management Authority (MCMA) (2009). Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain Natural Resource Management Plan. Murrumbidgee catchment Management Authority, Wagga Wagga. Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2012a). Assessment of environmental water requirements for the proposed Basin Plan: Mid-Murrumbidgee River Wetlands, http://www.mdba.gov.au/what-we- do/basin-plan/development/bp-science/assessing-environmental-water-requirements Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2012b). Assessment of environmental water requirements for the proposed Basin Plan: Lower Murrumbidgee River (in-channel flows), http://www.mdba.gov.au/what-we-do/basin-plan/development/bp-science/assessing- environmental-water-requirements Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2012c). Assessment of environmental water requirements for the proposed Basin Plan: Lower Murrumbidgee River Floodplain, http://www.mdba.gov.au/what-we- do/basin-plan/development/bp-science/assessing-environmental-water-requirements Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2012d). Hydrologic modelling to inform the proposed Basin Plan - methods and results, MDBA publication no: 17/12, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Canberra. Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2014). Basin-wide environmental watering strategy. http://www.mdba.gov.au/what-we-do/environmental-water/basin-watering-strategy.

Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2015). Murrumbidgee reach report: Constraints Management Strategy. http://www.mdba.gov.au/publications/mdba-reports/murrumbidgee-reach-report Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) (2016). Basin environmental watering outlook for 2016–17. http://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/pubs/Basin-environmental-watering-outlook-for-2016- 17_1.pdf

NSW Department of Primary Industry (DPI) (2014). Prioritisation process and environmental water needs for the Lowbidgee floodplain wetlands. NSW Department of Primary Industry (DPI) (2015). How water is shared in the regulated Murrumbidgee Valley. October 2015. [online] available: http://www.water.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/585193/How-water-is-shared-in-the- regulated-murrumbidgee-valley.pdf, accessed May 2016.

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NSW Legislation (2003). Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2003. [online] available: www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/viewtop/inforce/subordleg+1038+2002+FIRST+0+N/, accessed March 2014.

Roberts J and Marston F (2011). Water regime for wetlands and floodplain plants: A source book for the Murray-Darling Basin. Sinclair Knight Merz (2011). Environmental Water Delivery: Murrumbidgee Valley. Prepared for Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/environmental-water-delivery-murrumbidgee-valley Wassens S, Bino G, Spencer J, Thiem J, Wolfenden B, Jenkins K, Thomas R, Hal, A, Ocock J, Lenon E, Kobayashi T, Heath J and Cory F (2016). Commonwealth Environmental Water Office long-term intervention monitoring program Murrumbidgee River system Selected Area, 2014-15 Synthesis report, Commonwealth of Australia 2014. Wassens S, Spencer J, Thiem J, Wolfenden B, Jenkins K, Hall A, Ocock J, Kobayashi T, Thomas R, Bino G, Heath J and Lenon E (in prep) Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Long-Term Intervention Monitoring project Murrumbidgee River System Selected Area evaluation report, 2014- 16, Commonwealth of Australia, 2016

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Attachment A – Expected outcomes from the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy

Expected outcomes from the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy (MDBA 2014) that are relevant to the Murrumbidgee catchment are described below. RIVER FLOWS AND CONNECTIVITY  Baseflows are at least 60 per cent of the natural level  Contributing to a 30 per cent overall increase in flows in the River Murray  A 30–60 per cent increase in the frequency of freshes, bankfull and lowland floodplain flows VEGETATION  Maintain the current extent of water-dependent vegetation near river channels and on low- lying areas of the floodplain.  Improve condition of black box, river red gum and lignum shrublands  Improved recruitment of trees within black box and river red gum communities  Increased periods of growth for non-woody vegetation communities that closely fringe or occur within the river and creek channels Vegetation extent16 Area of Area of river black box Shrublands Non–woody water dependent vegetation red gum (ha) (ha) 68 300 38 900 Lignum in the Lower Closely fringing or occurring within the Murrumbidgee Murrumbidgee River, Billabong and Yanco creeks Black box condition

Vegetation condition score Percent of vegetation assessed (within the 0 –6 >6 –10 managed floodplain) 54 per cent 46 per cent 73 per cent

River red gum condition

Vegetation condition score Percent of vegetation assessed (within the 0 – 2 >2 – 4 >4 – 6 >6 – 8 >8 – 10 managed floodplain) 3 per cent 8 per cent 22 per cent 40 per cent 27 per cent 93 per cent

WATERBIRDS  Maintain current species diversity  Increase Basin-wide abundance of waterbirds by 20–25 per cent by 2024  A 30–40 per cent increase in nests and broods (Basin-wide) for other waterbirds  Up to 50 per cent more breeding events (Basin-wide) for colonial nesting waterbird species

16 Area (ha) (+/- 10%) is based on Cunningham et al (2013), cited in MDBA (2014)

30

Important Basin environmental assets for waterbirds in the Murrumbidgee Total Drought Colonial Shorebird In scope for abundance refuge waterbird abundance Commonwealth Environmental asset and breeding watering diversity

No Fivebough Swamp * *

* * * * Yes Lowbidgee floodplain

FISH  No loss of native species  Improved population structure of key species through regular recruitment, including o Short-lived species with distribution and abundance at pre-2007 levels and breeding success every 1–2 years

o Moderate to long-lived with a spread of age classes and annual recruitment in at least 80 per cent of years

 Increased movements of key species  Expanded distribution of key species and populations Key species for the Murrumbidgee include: Species Specific outcomes In-scope for Commonwealth water in the Murrumbidgee? Flathead galaxias (Galaxias Improve core range in Not until a population is rostratus) additional locations, including established the Murrumbidgee Freshwater catfish (Tandanus Expand the core range of Yes tandanus) current populations in Colombo- Golden perch (Macquaria A 10–15 per cent increase of Yes ambigua) mature fish (of legal take size) in key populations Macquarie perch Expand current populations No (Macquaria australasica) (candidate sites include , Murrumbidgee above Cooma, ). Murray cod (Maccullochella A 10–15 per cent increase of Yes peelii) mature fish (of legal take size) in key populations Olive perchlet (Ambassis Olive perchlet are considered Restoration of flow to mid- agassizii) extinct in the southern Basin. Murrumbidgee wetlands could Reintroduction using northern support the future reintroduction populations is the main option of the species. for recovery. Candidate sites may result from improved flow that reinstates suitable habitat in the mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands. River blackfish (Gadopsis Expand the range of current Yes marmoratus) population in the Murrumbidgee River. 31

Species Specific outcomes In-scope for Commonwealth water in the Murrumbidgee? Silver perch (Bidyanus Improve core range in Yes, but only in the Billabong– bidyanus) Billabong–Yanco system and Yanco system (ACT out of ACT reaches of the scope) Murrumbidgee. Southern purple-spotted Establish 3–4 additional No gudgeon (Mogurnda populations (candidate sites adspersa) include the Murrumbidgee in Adjungbilly and Adelong Creeks). Southern pygmy perch Establish additional Only if additional populations (Nannoperca australis) populations in the lower are established Murrumbidgee wetlands Trout cod (Maccullochella For the connected population Yes macquariensis) of the Murrumbidgee–Murray– Edwards, continue downstream expansion. Yarra pygmy perch Establish additional Only if additional populations (Nannoperca obscura) populations (no specific are established locations identified)

Important Basin environmental assets for native fish in the Murrumbidgee

th

Environmental asset

water

-

scope for scope for

species

e

diversity

-

corridors corridors

Key site of

Threatened

In

Site of Site of other Dry period /

Significance

ommonweal

hydrodynamic

Key movement

drought refuge

High Biodiversity

C Lowbidgee Floodplain * Y

Murrumbidgee main channel * * * Y (d/s of storages) (including upland reaches) Upland Murrumbidgee main * * * N channel N Cotter River * *

Billabong–Yanco–Colombo Creeks * * * * * Y

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Attachment B – Library of watering actions

Operational considerations in the Murrumbidgee catchment

The delivery of environmental water in the Murrumbidgee River Valley is currently constrained by the release capacities from storages and channel capacities. The Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee River Regulated Water Source includes river channel capacity constraints on maximum flows (NSW Legislation 2003; DPI 2015). This includes:

 Flows in the Murrumbidgee River at are limited to less than 29,500 ML/day to prevent inundation of Tenandra Bridge on the Mundarlo Road near Gundagai.

 Flows in are limited to less than 9000 ML/day at Oddy’s Bridge and 9300 ML/day at Tumut to minimise bank erosion.

 Yanco Weir diversion is currently limited by the Water Sharing Plan to 1400 ML/day to Yanco Creek. Flows over ~2000 ML/day may cause floodplain inundation.

 Release capacities of storages may constrain the magnitude of augmentation.

 Environmental watering actions may inundate areas of low-lying private property and impact on riparian landholders by restricting access to land and/or stock or by causing damage to crops, stock, or private infrastructure.

 Channel capacity may limit environmental water delivery

In 2016, Water NSW publicly stated and actively managed environmental flows to a maximum of 20,000 ML/day at Wagga Wagga in response to landholder complaints of potential third party impacts. Historically, releases for irrigation water supply have been made at flow rates of up to 23,000 ML/day.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (2015) published the Murrumbidgee reach report: Constraints Management Strategy which provides further information about constraints in the Murrumbidgee catchment.

Potential watering actions under different inflow scenarios

Under certain levels of water resource availability and inflow scenarios, watering actions may not be pursued for a variety of reasons, including that environmental demand may be met by unregulated flows and that constraints and/or risks may limit the ability to deliver environmental water. Table 4 identifies the range of potential watering actions in the Murrumbidgee catchment and the inflow scenarios that relate to these actions.

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Table 4: Summary of potential watering actions for the Murrumbidgee catchment Applicable inflow scenario Broad Asset Indicative demand 17 Very Low Low Moderate High Very High

Minimum (15.5 GL/d Option a priority Reconnection action: Contribute to river flows (fresh) and Objectives are likely @ Darlington Point for but unlikely under inundation of fringing wetlands to continue recovery of wetland to be achieved up to 6 days plus a this inflow scenario. vegetation communities, and provide habitat to support survival from unregulated gradual recession and maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota flow under this (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates). scenario. Mid- Tombullen storage Murrumbidgee releases to augment wetlands flows over 12 GL/day at Darlington Point Pumping to individual Infrastructure assisted: Contribute to habitat to support survival and Option unlikely to be required under this high priority wetland maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota scenario. assets (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates).

Yanco Wetlands (up Yanco Creek System: Contribute to flows reconnecting and refilling the anabranch Option unlikely to Yanco Creek to 30 GL action @ creeks and lagoons located in the mid-Yanco Creek system. be required under system Yanco off-take) this scenario. Lowbidgee - Up to 70 GL Critical Habitat provision: support critical fauna and flora habitat Option unlikely to be required under this Core refuge requirements and recruitment opportunities. scenario and permanent aquatic habitat Lowbidgee - Up to 60 GL Wetland inundation: Contribute to river flows (fresh) using regulators Bird breeding event contingency: North Redbank to inundate target wetlands in the Lowbidgee to maintain and Maintain wetland water levels and improve wetland vegetation diversity and condition, provide habitat acceptable levels of water quality to Lowbidgee - Up to 60 GL to support survival and maintain the condition of native fish, support the completion of a naturally- Yanga National waterbirds, and other aquatic vertebrates (e.g. frogs), hydrological triggered breeding event, including Park connectivity between the floodplain and river, and contribute to landscape scale watering with lower Up to 20 GL Lowbidgee - processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling through return flows. Lachlan. (key wetland and Nimmie-Caira rookery sites)

17 Volume limited by current channel constraints. Volumes will be scaled according to inflow scenario and resource availability.

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Applicable inflow scenario Broad Asset Indicative demand 17 Very Low Low Moderate High Very High

Lowbidgee - Up to 20 GL Wetting-Drying cycle: A decision may be made to not provide water Lowbidgee Supplementary: Utilise a Fiddler-Uara to sites that require a drying phase or where target watering portion of river flows to contribute to frequency has been achieved in recent years. outcomes as per Wetland Inundation 5 - 10GL Lowbidgee - objectives for regulated allocations. (Open water habitats Western Lakes and vegetation) Winter-spring in- Restoring natural flow variability: Contribute to river flows (base flows Option unlikely to be required under this channel flows and freshes) in the Murrumbidgee River channel. scenario. Moderate in-channel Option a priority Native fish flow: Contribute to river flows (base Option unlikely to be required under this pulse (>3500 ML/day but unlikely under flows and freshes) to provide suitable in-stream scenario. at Balranald) this inflow scenario conditions for native fish breeding, recruitment, movement and dispersal. Murrumbidgee River Channel, Distributary and Restoring natural flow variability: Contribute to river flows (base flows Option unlikely to be required under this distributaries anabranch freshes and freshes) in the Murrumbidgee distributaries: Yanco-Colombo- scenario. and Billabong Creek system, Old Man Creek system and/or other creeks. anabranches Water quality Provide localised Option unlikely to be required under this Provide localised refuge habitat for fish contingency refuge habitat for scenario. and aquatic biota to prevent, or during, fish and aquatic an adverse water quality event. biota to prevent, or during, an adverse water quality/water level event. Target flows >5 Option a priority but reduced Reconnecting event: Contribute to river flows (fresh) and inundation of GL/day @ d/s likelihood of natural trigger events fringing wetlands to continue recovery of wetland vegetation Balranald Weir and under this scenario. communities, and provide habitat to support survival and maintain the >10 GL/day @ condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota (including fish, turtles, Murrumbidgee frogs and invertebrates). Junction confluence on the Wetlands Murray

Flows greater than 7 GL/day @ d/s Balranald Weir

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Applicable inflow scenario Broad Asset Indicative demand 17 Very Low Low Moderate High Very High

Pumping to individual Infrastructure assisted: Contribute to habitat to support survival and Option unlikely to be required under this wetland assets for maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota scenario. refuge sties (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates).

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Potential watering actions – standard operating arrangements

Table 4 identifies the range of potential watering actions in the Murrumbidgee catchment in the Murray-Darling Basin that give effect to the long-term demands and flow regime identified as being in scope for the contribution of Commonwealth environmental water in any given year. The standard considerations associated with these actions are set out below.

1. Mid-Murrumbidgee Reconnection

Watering Action: Contribute to river flows (freshes) and inundation of fringing wetlands to avoid further damage and protect wetland vegetation communities, and provide habitat to support survival and maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates).

Standard operational considerations:

The proposed event will involve the release of environmental water from upper storages in conjunction with rainfall-derived tributary flows. Infrastructure assisted delivery to individual wetlands will also be considered.

Typical extent:

 Inundation of low-level wetlands.

 This option will target a peak flow rate for three to five days and a recession that mimics a more natural recession rate (nominally a 10 to 15 per cent decrease in flow per day).

 Environmental flows likely to be delivered between late autumn and early spring (May to September) to avoid irrigation season.

 While the volume of environmental water required will depend on the volume of baseflows, the proposed upper flow limits for this option are:

- 28,000 ML/day (4.73 metres gauge height) at Gundagai.

- 27,500 ML/day (4.9 metres gauge height) at Wagga Wagga18.

 This option is likely to contribute flows required to inundate the mid-Yanco Creek system wetlands (Action 3), could provide some of the required flows for, and provide additional benefits to, the proposed in-channel actions (Actions 5 and 6) and watering of the Junction Wetlands.

Approvals:

 Agreement from landholders whose properties might be inundated by environmental flows is preferred.

 Action may result in the 1400 ML/day Yanco Creek off-take constraint specified in the Water Sharing Plan being exceeded. Approval to exceed the 1400 ML/day constraint at the Yanco Creek off-take is required from the NSW Minister for Primary Industries.

18 Note: as per Tables 3a, b and c, the proposed maximum flow limit for 2017-18 planning is 20,000 ML/day at Wagga Wagga.

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2. Mid-Murrumbidgee wetland – infrastructure assisted delivery

Watering action: Contribute to wetland inundation, using existing water delivery infrastructure, to refill high priority low lying wetlands to provide habitat to support survival and maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates).

Standard operational considerations:

 Delivery to mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands through pumping is not as ecologically effective as filling the wetlands with a reconnecting river flow. The purpose of this option is to continue/maintain recent improvements in wetland vegetation condition at these sites and provide habitat to maintain condition of waterbirds, native fish, other aquatic vertebrates (turtles, frogs) and invertebrates.

Typical extent:

 It is not operationally feasible to pump to all sites; system scale objectives cannot be achieved with infrastructure assisted watering alone. The wetlands in the mid-Murrumbidgee that can be delivered to via existing infrastructure and without higher reconnecting flows include:

- Yarradda Lagoon in the mid-Murrumbidgee

- Gras Innes and Oak Creek via Bundidgerry Creek

- Yanco Agricultural (McCaughey’s) Lagoon, Turkey Flat and Gooragool Lagoon via Murrumbidgee Irrigation infrastructure

- Coonancoocabil Lagoon (off Murrumbidgee Irrigation infrastructure or via Gogeldrie Weir pool)

- A number of wetlands within the Yanco Creek system

- Other privately owned wetlands and waterways to restore ecological function to these areas.

Approvals:

 In some cases, access to channels will need to be negotiated with landholders or irrigation corporations and agreement for inundation of privately owned wetlands will need to be sought.

3. Mid-Yanco Creek Anabranches and Wetlands

Watering Action: The option would aim to maintain riparian and wetland vegetation condition (including river red gums) by reconnecting and refilling the anabranch creeks, flood-runners, lagoons and wetlands in the Yanco Creek System.

Standard operational considerations:

 The proposed event will involve the release of environmental water from upper storages, possibly in conjunction with rainfall-derived tributary flows.

 Alternatively delivery via both Yanco Creek Offtake and Coleambally Catchment Drain may achieve some objectives and limit inconvenience to upper Yanco Creek landholders.

 A third option is to divert a high unregulated flow, possibly through supplementary access, down the Yanco Creek system.

38

Typical extent:

 The action will target sites in the mid-Yanco Creek (between and Yanco Bridge on Kidman Way). Target sites include the ‘Silver Pines’ wetland complex.

 Flows above 1400 ML/day and/or additional volumes delivered through Coleambally Catchment Drain may be required to achieve desired outcomes.

Approvals:

 Agreement from landholders whose properties might be inundated by environmental flows is preferred.

 Target flows will result in the 1400 ML/day Yanco Creek off-take constraint specified in the Water Sharing Plan being exceeded. Approval to exceed the 1400 ML/day constraint at the Yanco Creek off-take is required from the NSW Minister for Primary Industries.

4. Lowbidgee Wetlands

Watering Action: Using regulators, inundate target wetlands across the Lowbidgee to maintain, improve and in some cases promote the recovery of wetland vegetation diversity and condition (lignum, black box and river red gums and associated understory communities such as reeds, sedges and rushes), and provide habitat to support survival and maintain condition of native fish, waterbirds, other aquatic vertebrates (frogs) and invertebrates.

Standard operational considerations:

 The Lowbidgee contains suitable habitats for nationally important breeding colonies of threatened and internationally significant migratory waterbird species (MCMA 2009).

 Seasonal inundation of wetlands is important for the reproduction and survival of several frog species, including the EPBC Act vulnerable southern bell frog, in the Lowbidgee. Ensuring key southern bell frog sites receive flows over spring-summer and water levels are maintained over summer months is crucial for maintaining viable populations in the Lowbidgee system.

 Consideration will be given to the condition of individual sites as well as prevailing conditions to reinstate an appropriate wetting–drying cycle.

 Consideration will be given to using escapes to allow water to return to the river channel to improve hydrological connectivity and provide for transport of biota, nutrients, sediment and carbon and improve the health of the river system, and benefit fish and other organisms.

 Subject to occurrence and announcements, supplementary allocations may be used to protect a portion of river flows to inundate target wetlands in the Lowbidgee to maintain and improve wetland vegetation diversity and condition, hydrological connectivity between the floodplain and river, and contribute to processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling.

Typical extent:

 Possible target sites include: Core refuge and permanent aquatic habitat, North Redbank system, South Redbank (Yanga National Park), Nimmie-Caira and Fiddlers-Uara Creek systems and the Western Lakes. The scale of watering actions is dependent on environmental demand and water availability.

No additional approvals required.

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5. Native fish flows

Watering Action: Contribute to base flows, freshes and the recession of natural bankfull and overbank flows to create favourable conditions for fish passage, reproduction and survival.

Standard operational considerations:

 This may involve contributing in-stream flows to improve movement opportunities (including off- channel recruitment), maximise available breeding habitat, create flow conditions favourable for reproduction, or contribute to the survival of native fish.

Typical extent:

 Target flow rates will be dependent on the prevailing flow conditions, target outcome and operational considerations.

 Environmental water will be delivered from storages and may target reaches along the length of the Murrumbidgee River and main distributaries.

 Subject to announcements, supplementary allocations may be used to protect a portion of river flows.

 Environmental deliveries for this option will likely be delivered in late winter (movement and condition), spring and early summer (spawning and recruitment).

No additional approvals required.

6. Restoring natural flow variability

Watering Action: Contribute to river flows restore natural flow events that are affected by river regulation and/or extraction.

Standard operational considerations:

 This option will contribute to objectives of the native fish flows (Action 5).

Typical extent:

 Environmental water may be delivered to the Murrumbidgee River channel, Yanco-Colombo- Billabong Creek system, Old Man Creek system, and/or other creek systems.

 Target flow rates will be dependent on the prevailing flow conditions, target outcome and operational considerations.

 Subject to announcements, supplementary allocations may be used to protect a portion of river flows.

 Environmental releases would be kept in channel and are not intended to inundate floodplain or wetland habitat.

No additional approvals required.

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7. Contingency to support significant bird breeding events

Watering action: Maintain wetland water levels to support the completion of a significant waterbird breeding events.

Standard operational considerations:

 These contingency actions will only occur in response to developing issues/events.

 The bird breeding contingency is not to trigger a breeding event but for use when a breeding event is already underway and considered in danger of failure due to receding water levels.

Typical extent:

 Target flow rates will be dependent on the prevailing conditions, the nature of the water quality/falling water level issue and operational considerations.

 This option is contingent on conditions throughout the year, but is more likely to be required during warmer months.

No additional approvals required.

8. Contingency to support critical habitat requirements

Watering action: Contribute to managing water quality issues within in-stream and wetland environments across the Murrumbidgee catchment.

Standard operational considerations:

 Contingency actions will only occur in response to developing issues/events.

Typical extent:

 Target flow rates will be dependent on the prevailing conditions, the nature of the water quality/falling water level issue and operational considerations.

 This option is contingent on conditions throughout the year, but is more likely to be required during warmer months.

No additional approvals required.

9. Junction Wetlands Watering Action: Contribute to river flows (freshes) and inundation of fringing wetlands to avoid further damage and protect wetland vegetation communities, and provide habitat to support survival and maintain the condition of waterbirds and native aquatic biota (including fish, turtles, frogs and invertebrates).

Standard operational considerations:

 Requires higher flows in the Murrumbidgee (flows >5000 ML/day @ d/s Balranald Weir) and the Murray (>10,000 ML/day @ Murrumbidgee confluence) to ensure inundation is achieved.

 Flows greater than 7000 ML/day d/s Balranald Weir, independent of flow rates in River Murray, can connect and fill low level creek systems (Waldaira, Peacock and Mainie Creeks) in the Junction Wetlands.

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 The proposed action may be achieved by a decision to ‘not take’ Lowbidgee supplementary allocations during announced access periods to protect peak flows to achieve Junction Wetlands watering (rather than diverting supplementary flows into Nimmie-Caira, for example).

 The proposed action may also involve the release of environmental water from upper storages in conjunction with rainfall-derived tributary flows. Should river-floodplain inundation not be possible, infrastructure assisted delivery to individual wetlands will be considered.

Typical extent:

 Inundation of low-level wetlands and creek systems (for example Peacock and Mainie Creeks).

Approvals:

 Agreement from landholders whose properties might be inundated by environmental flows is preferred and would be required for infrastructure assisted watering of individual sites.

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Attachment C – Long-term water availability

Commonwealth environmental water holdings

The Commonwealth holds the following entitlements in the Murrumbidgee catchment:

 Murrumbidgee high security

 Murrumbidgee general security

 Murrumbidgee Irrigation (Conveyance)

 Coleambally Irrigation (Conveyance)

 Murrumbidgee supplementary

The full list of Commonwealth environmental water holdings can be found at www.environment.gov.au/topics/water/commonwealth-environmental-water-office/about- commonwealth-environmental-water/how-much and is updated monthly.

Other sources of environmental water

Other potential sources of held environmental water that may be used to complement Commonwealth environmental water delivery in the Murrumbidgee catchment include:

 Environment Entitlement - The Living Murray Programme (Murray-Darling Basin Authority)

 Environmental Water Allowance (New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage)

 NSW licensed entitlement (New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage)

 Yanga Lowbidgee entitlement (NSW Parks and Wildlife Service)

Planned environmental water

In addition to water entitlements held by environmental water holders, environmental demands may also be met via natural or unregulated flows and water provided for the environment under rules in state water plans (referred to as ‘planned environmental water’).

The Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source (2003) establishes releases of planned environmental water (under Part 3, Clause 15) under operating rules for Burrinjuck and Blowering dams.  Transparent releases: o Transparent releases from Blowering Dam to the Tumut River are equal to 560 ML/day plus any water use expected to occur between the dam and the confluence with the Murrumbidgee River. When inflows fall below 560 ML/day, release volumes are equal to inflows in addition to expected use. o Transparent releases from Burrinjuck Dam are the lesser of either the volume of inflows to the dam over the previous 24 hours or 615 ML.

 Translucent releases: o Translucent releases are made from Burrinjuck Dam on each day between 22 April and 21 October. Daily release volumes are calculated based on catchment conditions and storage volumes in Lake Burrinjuck.

 Minimum daily end of system flow targets (including Murrumbidgee River at Balranald).

43 For more information about Commonwealth environmental water, please contact us at:  1800 803 772 @: [email protected] www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo @theCEWH  GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT, 2601